


I Could See Within The Tides

by Deyanira



Series: Within the world of the Fantasy Noir AU [1]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Blood, Carlos is a Dork, Carlos is a private detective and does science, Fantasy Noir AU, Gen, POCecil, Pretty much everyone is PoC, Strexcorp is Evil, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2015-06-13
Packaged: 2018-01-14 22:58:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1281880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deyanira/pseuds/Deyanira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos thinks over his dreams and current line of work. Cecil and Kevin just think they're weaving a radio drama for their listeners. The brothers are very, very wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A while ago, the lovely astrakiseki [pitched this idea to me](http://astrakiseki.tumblr.com/post/74874087586/just-some-plotting-for-yet-another-damn-au-i-have%22), and we've been world building, creating headcanons and it's been great.
> 
> That being said, Carlos is not just an average Latino, he's Taino. I have piles and piles of research into this. I didn't just up and decide to do this, I measured out how important it was to me for him to be Taino. I was born in Puerto Rico, I am Boricua, and I grew up learning the culture and the importance of being true to oneself.  
> Is this self-indulgent? Yes.  
> I'm not ashamed of it. I researched into everything, pulling back the layers of history to make it as accurate as possible with what little is out there. Most of what I've found is a little too Eurocentric for my tastes when it comes to an accurate representation.  
> This is as accurate as can be for what is available for research and from bothering family and friends. Please take this into consideration.  
> [Now with art!](http://goddess-in-green.tumblr.com/post/82852265269/kevin-carlos-and-cecil-commissioned-by)

If Carlos was going to be honest with himself, and he usually was, he didn’t want to think about what was coming next. It was easy to lay low, hiding out from everyone for a few days. Maybe not as long as it actually felt, but he needed the time off, and to throw Strex off his trail. The mega-billion corporation never seemed to go after his family, not when it was really him they wanted. Carlos wouldn’t put it past them, of course, but his family had been careful about the protective charms place within their home, and the general square everyone's house surrounded.

His family experimented with the charms they knew. It didn’t keep all the copies out, but it prevented harm from coming to their home. The people Strex sent couldn’t come within the walls, and they often had a pair of people watching, waiting to spot Carlos and report where he was. He wasn’t sure why they hadn’t offed him already. There were plenty of chances, but they never did. It was as if they had a long game in mind, waiting until the perfect moment to kill off their least favorite thorn in their side.

He was quite proud of it. Throwing up legal walls where he could took research and time, and plenty of money. A lot of money. Carlos was paid well enough to keep doing what he could. He didn’t win every battle, but many. Enough to garner attention from the company. When StrexCorp Synernists first came to town, Carlos felt it his duty to do research into them, like any good private detective would. And much of what he found was disturbing and bordering illegal. When they tried to buy his home out, to wash away years and years of history, he made sure they lost in court.

The first time he found out about the copies, it was an accident. Carlos was working on a different case altogether, attempting to help the police in a missing persons investigation. The person in question seemed to waltz into the bar, smiling wide and praising a smiling god. Their eyes were black as coal, insect-like in the gloom. Carlos felt uncomfortable, but he had to strike up a conversation, when they grabbed his arm, twisting it hard. “Do you believe in our Smiling God?” Those words were hissed out, buzzing in the empty space between them.

“No,” Carlos sputtered out, wrenching his arm from the copy. It was his first experience, and he dug in deeper after it. There wasn’t much, as the company hid their tracks well. So very well. It took years of research and interviews, all while more and more copies popped up throughout the world. E-mail after e-mail, phone call after phone call, he listened to their family’s stories. The deeper he went, the more disturbing the stories became.

There was one common theme throughout every story: No one knew what became of the originals, the regular people who had families and lives. Carlos wanted to get a sample from the copy and compare it to the other genetics evidence, but it was near impossible to get close enough. It seemed hardwired into the employees to avoid him at all costs.

He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. It was getting shaggy again, but it was easier to conceal his features when he needed to hide away. Carlos flicked off the light on his desk, leaning forward to look out his window. No one was outside. There were thunderheads on the horizon, coming in from the ocean. Grey, with violet flecks as the lightning flashed. This was home. The increasing breeze off the sea, the people, the food, the family dog, it was home. The smell of sea salt, the corroding steel, all so familiar.

Carlos stood and stretched himself off, his leg protesting with pain. It always seemed to hurt more on stormy nights. A soft groan bubbled up as he plopped onto the bed. There was nothing more relaxing than falling asleep to the sounds of the rain.

* * *

 

Waking up was another story altogether. Carlos loved his sleep, dreaming of new places, new people. One person in particular always showed up in his dreams, smiling warmly at him. They never met in the same place twice, but they nearly always ended up in a radio station where he would see double. He had a brother, kind eyes and always wearing gloves. His name was easy enough to remember, easily slipping through his lips. His mother always told him to pay attention to when people appeared time and again during dreams. “You’ll meet him one day. I used to have those dreams, too. It seemed…it seemed innocuous at the time, and then I met your uncle. And then your father. Memorize their features, their voice, and the little things. Trust me, mijo.” Whenever bibi, his mother, would switch to Spanish, he knew he had to pay attention. She didn’t often use the language. While it didn’t necessarily grate on his ears, it flowed a little too smoothly. A little too smoothly. Visitors always seemed to use it, and he wasn’t too keen on its use himself. The morning light was a little too bright on him, forcing him to sit up. Carlos could feel a headache coming on. He was supposed to be relaxing, not thinking about men he would never meet except in a dream. That’s all Cecil would ever be, right? Just a dream.


	2. A Link Between Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos keeps hearing a voice he's only heard in dreams. Cecil is just living his daily life the way he always did, narrating a story over the radio along with his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, this took me a while! Well, the lovely Carro ended up working on my commission, and that really got my ass in gear to write. And then it ended up being a decent length. So without further ado, Carlos and Cecil meeting!

Being home was complicated. Carlos never enjoyed putting his family is danger, especially when it involved StrexCorp. And while waking up to fresh fruit every day was amazing, seeing Strex’s agents outside of the town center was disconcerting. They had already asked his family if he was there, but as usual, his mother had cursed them out and told them to stay away.

“M’am, harboring a fugitive is illegal.”

 “My son is not illegal. And he isn’t here, get out! OUT!” Carlos laughed, leaning against the doorframe. He was out of view to the people at the door, but it never ceased to amaze him how utterly terrifying his bibi could be when she was angry.

“Pssst, Carlos!” He turned to see his sister just behind him in the hall. “Is it the bugs again?”

 “Yeah. Surprised mama hasn’t completely thrown them out yet. They’re so disrespectful, jeesh.”

 “Yeah, fucking with the village’s bohique is never advised. One of these days, they’re going to fall.”

 “Hopefully. That’s what I do. Shit.” Carlos ducked behind his sister as someone peeked into his room. “They have no sense of privacy.”

 “Not at all. Good to see you home, though, brother. Don’t worry, the other one isn’t here. So mom can just say it’s him and not you here. Though we’ll be needing to give you a haircut…” Marie trailed off, pulling on his hair.

 “We can worry about that later. I’m probably going to have to sleep in the other room tonight. Or in mama’s closet. This is beyond ridiculous.”

 “M’am. We’re going to ask you one more time. We have detected the presence of a male resembling that of your son. Release him now.”

“Do you not remember I have two sons?! Or are you too busy trying to detain one?! My son has not done anything even remotely illegal, and nor has the one you’re forgetting I have. You are wasting the time of an old woman. Leave before I ask the village to make you.” His mother’s tone never left light and airy. She sounded proud of him. Carlos smiled, continuing to listen in.

 “We admit to have made… mistakes in the past. May the Smiling God have mercy upon you.” The faint buzzing sound dissipated.

 “Mijo! I’m getting tired of doing this. Learn to look like Bixi, ah?”

 “Yes, starting with a haircut!”

 “I came home to relax, not get attacked with shears. Besides, what were you talking about, mistaking one for the other? Is Bixi alright?”

 “Remember when you said you would be home for the lunar eclipse? And then you got stuck wherever you were? Bixi came to visit, and they thought it was you. So he spent a few hours in jail. I wish the sheriff wasn’t so easy to bribe. They realized they had the wrong brother, and let him go. I meant to write you about it.”

 “Ah. Did they hurt him?”

 “No, no. He’s fine, he’s at home with the kids and his wife. Do not worry for him, worry for yourself! How do you expect to bring home a person to meet me when they are following you? Carlos, my son, you cannot stay alone forever. It’s not becoming of you,” she said, stern and shaking a finger at him. “Let’s get you a haircut and then you can help me with the cotton and mangos. And maybe a bit of Marie’s make-up will help.”

Carlos grunted, allowing himself to be led into the bathroom.

* * *

 He didn’t like having make-up on. Bixi had a scar on his cheek from falling out of the mango tree when they were kids. Carlos wasn’t allergic to latex, but it wasn’t comfortable in the heat. Still, nothing beat fresh fruit right off the tree, and all his favorite meals in one place. Basket after basket, waiting to be filled, then washed, then to the town center to be sold. Or, if someone was struggling, given to said person and taken care of.

 “Marie, call your sister and tell her the snakes are here, okay?” Snakes. Another word for Strex and to warn them that Bixi had to stay in hiding until Carlos left. It wasn’t the best arrangement, but it worked. Mostly. Occasionally his brother did have to leave the house, and that was when he would leave. He was home for the eclipse, especially since he missed the last one. Something felt different in the air. The weather was supposed to remain clear until tomorrow, but there was a density that seemed off. Carlos left the yard to head to his room, checking his barometer. It had been high that morning, cheerily so. Now it was dropping quickly.

 “Mom. Get inside, now!” He called to her from the window, feeling relieved when she actually heeded him.

 “What’s wrong? Did they break in again? I’m getting sick of this.”

 “No, there’s a big storm coming. Like, right now.”

 “They said it was going to be fine today. Tonight. No rain.”

 “Yeah well, that’s what I thought, too. Except my barometer is dropping.” As if to help make his point, the wind began picking up, almost howling around their home.

 “I’m going to call your brother and see if there are clouds on his side. Go sit in the bathroom where there is not a window. You don’t want anyone accidentally spotting you here.”

 “Yeah, alright.” Carlos shuffled out of his room and hid away in the bathroom. There was a small mirror on the medicine cabinet. He looked at himself, deciding to wash off the fake scar. If there was a storm, they would be stuck inside overnight, anyway. If Carlos left, he’d have to wear a coat and a hat to keep the rain off, which was enough to keep his face hidden. He would be able to visit his nieces and nephews, but his brother’s house was probably bugged. And the cries of “Tio Carlos!” would likely immediately bring in the people assigned to tracking his family. It wasn’t worth the risk. He could hear the pain pelting the roof, their music soothing. ‘Plip, plip.’ A familiar sound reminding him of storms waited out during childhood, the hurricanes destroying nearly everything.

 “Mijo, it is raining there, too. They say it’ll leave in about half an hour and then we’re clear until the weekend.”

 “Do you think, perhaps, I can be involved tonight? As long as my face is painted up, of course, we wouldn’t want any party crashers.”

 “I suppose. Just, be careful. You know what happens when everyone is singing together. Remember what happened last time.”

 “What happened last time was absolutely not my fault. I didn’t do anything!”

 “Your mere presence was enough. Anyway, go start peeling the avocados, or help me with the guayaba. Either or.”

 “Fine.”

* * *

 “Mijo! Come here, you don’t have that right. Tch. You have no idea how to paint these anymore, you spend too much time away from home.”

Carlos sat on his knees in front of his mom, wincing while she painted the familiar symbols onto his skin. The paint was cold, and though the bright red stood out against his skin, it felt like his own skin. “Better, mom?”

“Much better. Now, get out there, don’t sing along unless you’re planning on being sent anywhere. And if you are going to be leaving again, let me know. You know how fickle magic can be, but you should still be able to contact me.”

“Okay.” He didn’t mention his dreams to her, of the man seeming to weave his story into a tale told to an audience. Either the man did not exist, or he did, but not here. Maybe it was just intuition, but if the man, Cecil, did exist, but in another dimension perhaps. He honestly hoped he did. Carlos stood from, raising his arms to stretch himself, waiting for the paint to settle on his body.

“Look at you. All grown up and still kicking. I’m proud of you. Though I’m sick of them charging you with trespassing. You’re just doing your job.”

“No one likes when an investigator is doing their job. Even if I’m likeable.”

“You look just like your father. A shame he disappeared. Your uncle will be here tonight, so be sure to say hello to him.”

“I will, mom.”

“Now, get out there and start the song. If anything happens, please let me know. I’m not just your mother, you know. I’m the bohique, so keep that in mind. Any funny dreams lately?”

“No, mom. I’ll see you once you come out, alright?”

“Go.”

Carlos walked out of his room, out of the hall. He could see the flames of the bonfire dancing in time with the soft hum of chattering people. Then he was outside, waving and nodding to his family and friends, the people he grew up with, neighbors. His mom soon followed him out, raising her hands in greeting, and then starting on the speech he had heard so many times over. It was nothing worth noting, but then there was a voice in the background, faint and deep. “Little did Carlos know, Strex was watching, they were always watching. He turned quickly, eyes peering into the nearby trees, discerning dark shapes in the underbrush. Carlos took a step forward, and then paused. If he left the ceremony, there was no telling what he was getting himself into. He felt naked.”

 He looked towards the sky, wondering how that voice could know how he was feeling, let alone describe what was occurring in real time.

He never heard the voice when he was going about day to day life. If he was working with someone on getting out of Strex’s influence, it was always there and very faint. Never talking about anything other than what he was doing in relation to Strex.

* * *

 When another ceremony was on its way, he pulled his mother aside, and told her exactly what he had been dreaming about and hearing. “You need to find him.”

“I know, but I don’t know how. Traversing dimensions, or in this case, to a parallel universe doesn’t exactly scream scientifically possible.”

“Carlos. This is a world of magic. Science is all very well and good, but sometimes you just need a little faith. Understand? We’ll get you there. It’ll become easier after the first time.”

“Sometimes I forget about magic because I cannot personally use it all the time.”

“Shhh, you’re still just a child when it comes to understanding. Come on. Get dressed. Let me know if you need anything and I’ll get it to you. We need to do this before daybreak, okay?”

“I’ll be ready.”

 

* * *

“Kevin, it’s your turn to broadcast. You know, everyone is just on edge about this! They need to make a move.” Cecil had just finished off his portion of the broadcast, and it was raining outside, of course. It seemed gloomy for days, now that he thought about it. “Yes, I know, but you promised you would do an update tomorrow.” His brother was arguing with him over the phone.

They would settle down after he got home. That’s how it always was. Living with his brother wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but they had lived together so long, it just worked. They alternated cooking and cleaning, depending on the schedule set by their station. Cecil waved at the interns still stuck working the overnight shift. He remembered being like them, and hoping to get a slot in the schedule to actually broadcast.

The thunder was loud, but not unbearably so. “Look, we’ll talk when I get home. I have the next two weeks off, you have the next two weeks off, but you have to make one last broadcast. Intern Vithya was absolutely slammed with calls demanding we not leave on a cliffhanger. I mean, leaving it off with the agents at the party and Carlos working with another client is all well and good, but Strex still hasn’t made a move. And that’s what everyone’s problem is with it, they expect the big company to squash the hero like a bug.”

He walked down the street. He and Kevin didn’t live too far from the station, and the light drizzle added the mood he needed for his next expansion on the plot. It wasn’t unbearable, at least. And the umbrella helped. “I’m almost home. Did you cook tonight, or did you want me to? Either way is fine. Oh. Good! I’m glad you took initiative without being reminded.” Cecil crossed the street quickly, looking around to make sure there were no cars coming. Walking, walking, and always pacing himself. He never got home sooner than ten minutes after his shift ended, or longer than ten minutes. It was a ten minute walk, and if there were cars, he sped his pace to account for it. They were going to clean tomorrow. The table was beginning to become a mess, and the sink was filled with dishes. Both Cecil and his brother had been so busy, it was difficult to worry about things like dishes and vacuuming when they spent so much time at work. The bathroom was always absolutely spotless, and it was just a quirk of theirs. Up the stairs Cecil went, tapping each of the bannisters.

Once he got to the floor he lived on, he peeked around the corner to see if Leann Hart’s door was open. They were friends, but she talked so much sometimes! Closed door confirmed, he tapped on his own door. “Kevin, it’s me.”

It opened, and his brother stood there smiling. “Hello! Dinner is on the table. I’m sorry if the rice didn’t turn out. I’m just not as good as making it as you are.”

“It’s fine. Let’s just worry about vacation tomorrow,” he replied, walking in and putting his coat away. “Besides, things are finally starting to simmer up. We have so many questions online, it’s good.”

“Good. Go eat. Don’t worry about your stuff.”

Cecil winced as he pulled his shoes off and stumbled to the dining table, thankfully not falling flat on his face. There was a small part of the floor raised and no matter how many times he walked in, it always managed to trip him. “Yellow rice, nice. And chicken? Mom’s recipe?”

“Yessir!” Kevin joined him at the table, and they ate in silence. Cecil’s eye wandered to the corkboard filled with post-it notes, some of them pinned to the board after losing their adhesive. Their entire work, all sitting in one place. Well, not all of it. Most of the story lived in their minds, their listeners couldn’t have one side and not the other. Many rooted for Carlos to win, but there were fans of Strex’s mission, of course. Two sides to every coin.

“Anyone spending the night?”

“What? On the night before our vacation?”

“The vacation where we’re sharing a room, yes.”

“We hooked up at their place, not ours.”

“Good. Actually, the rice could have used a pinch of salt. Is there any pegado?”

“No, I actually had it this time. Sorry!” Kevin then took a forkful to his mouth, the hardened rice crunching between his teeth. 

“No, it’s fine. I’m not sure if I could have handled it. Night, Kevin.” Cecil stood from the table.

“Night. I know we have to stop by the station tomorrow, what time are you going?”

“Not until late. Did you want me to get your check for you?”

“That would be great! Thanks!”

“Anytime.” Cecil placed his dishes in the sink, and rinsed them off with water before retreating to shower and preform his nightly ritual. Then sleep.

* * *

Cecil had to restrain himself from clearing the corkboard and the stack of notebooks surrounding the lamp. Those had to stay just like that, otherwise neither he nor Kevin would get anything done. The vacuuming was done, dishes sparkling and clean in the cabinet. It was still threatening to rain outside, but it didn’t bother him much. Kevin was off doing gods knew what with whomever he had been with last night. He plopped on the couch and flipped through one of the National Geographic magazines that hadn’t been put away quite yet. Space exploration and current discoveries. Cecil allowed himself to be absorbed in the idea while it began to rain again.

A few hours later, he looked up. It was time to leave for the station. Kevin still wasn’t home. Not at all surprising, especially when they would be heading for the hotel that evening. Sure, he was leaving for the station a little earlier than earlier, but he would have to help the interns prepare for the two week hiatus from the show. “And don’t forget, no spoilers! No reading from the scripts! Understand?” Cecil said firmly, as the interns nodded their agreement. They had no way of knowing the scripts didn’t have anything on them, at least, not the ones kept at the station. “I’m leaving now. No calling me or Kevin. This is an official vacation.”

“Yes sir! We’ll make sure to keep everyone updated that you’re on vacation,” Vithya assured.

“Good. I’m off now. I’ll bring back souvenirs. Goodbye!” Cecil walked out of the break room, stopping to pick up the two checks which wouldn’t be put into the bank, but used on their vacation. When he made it outside, he didn’t notice the man seemingly waiting for him.

“Excuse me, sir? Are you, ah, Cecil?” The man’s accent was unusual, but familiar, too.

“Yes, I am, and I’m not available for interviews at this time.” Cecil stepped onto the sidewalk, beginning his walk home, though if this man were to follow him, he would have to take a longer route. Not acceptable in the least. 

“Wait. Will you just look for a moment?”

Cecil looked over at him, and went ashen. A man in a trench coat, hair covered by a hat, but he carried an ace of spades. Dark skin, a strong jaw. “C-C-Carlos?!” No, that wasn't possible. His eyes had to have been deceiving him. Carlos was a character from a story! Not a person. Well. A person he adored, sure, but as a character, nothing else. Every writer and creator had their favorites. 

“Hello, Cecil. I know this isn’t exactly something you ever expected. I know I didn’t expect it, but I’m going to need you to come with me.” 

“You…you can’t be real. No. I’m dreaming or-or my medication hasn’t kicked in yet.” Cecil stepped forward, reaching to touch the man. His self-control kicked in, pulling his hand down and away from Carlos.

“No, I’m very much real. You’re not dreaming. It’s a long story.”

“What about Kevin?! I can’t just leave him. We’re supposed to go on vacation!”

“Well, he can come, too. Cecil.” Carlos handed him his card, flipping it to the back with the ace of spades. “Do you believe me now?”

“I don’t have extra fingers or hands, everything is stable. Where are we going?”

“To my home. I have some questions I’d like to ask. And maybe you could explain a few things.”

“I’m going to-“

“’Ke, yes. Don’t worry, there is plenty to eat. Do you mind if I come with you home?”

“No, that’s fine. We have to wait for Kevin anyway.” Carlos offered him an arm. Cecil led him home, running this time. Time was irrelevant. He ran up the stairs, tapping all the bannisters quickly. Even ignoring Leann when she greeted him in the hallway while Carlos barely was able to hang on. Once inside, his guest sat at the kitchen table.

“Would you happen to have Café Bustelo?”

“Actually, yes. There is a fresh pot here, actually. Milk, sugar?” He was determined to play the perfect host.

“Little bit of milk, and um, three packets of sugar.”

“Here you go.” The spoon was left in the cup to allow Carlos to do as he pleased as they waited for Kevin. “What’s it like…there?”

“It’s nice. Warm. It’s a little odd sometimes. Not in a bad way. Magic is an actual force there. I can use mine here, but it’s weaker. I’m not in tune.”

“Oh. Magic?”

“Yes. It’s all very odd and very interesting. We have to get back soon. Actually, let me make a call. Is that rude? I just want to let them know I made it safely.”

“Feel free.”

“Thank you.” Cecil watched as Carlos stepped outside to the balcony.

“Oh my god,” he murmured to himself. Kevin would freak out and immediately say how perfect Carlos was for him. It was a given. How was he going to explain this to his brother?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to say hello? A suggestion, perhaps? I'm usually available on [on my blog.](http://silent-novae.tumblr.com)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kevin gets home and Cecil and Kevin explain exactly what is going on. Carlos' mother welcome them home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, it's been a while since I've updated, but never fear! The third chapter is here! I've been dealing with a few diagnosis stuff myself, including bipolar disorder. I began writing this before I actually knew I had the disorder. I'd also like to make something clear: Kevin has bipolar disorder, specifically Bipolar I. I know there is a sort of stereotype involving people with bipolar sleeping around. However, I didn't find this out until my own diagnosis. Though, without further ado, the chapter!

“Hey, Carlos?” Cecil called out to his guest. He needed to take his medications, and he didn’t really feel comfortable leaving Carlos to himself on the balcony. Kevin kept his medication in the kitchen cabinet, Cecil kept his in his own bedroom. In his brother’s mind, it was more efficient to keep it near a sink. Finally Carlos returned to the kitchen, his phone put away.

“Sorry. I got bombarded with questions, some I was not expecting. What can I help you with?” Carlos smiled, sitting back down with the cup of coffee.

“No, it’s fine. I need to go to my bedroom for a quick second, so please don’t move. Kevin will be here soon.” He plucked a glass from the cabinet, and filled it at the sink. “Just a second.” Cecil walked off to his room, breathing deeply in order to soothe himself. A man he saw in dreams, never quite hoping he was real. It would have been nice, of course, but to have it happen…it worried him. He was obviously here for a reason. Cecil methodically picked up each bottle in turn, swallowing them with a gulp of water. It was never enjoyable, the feeling of swallowing the pills. They would settle in his stomach soon enough, the nausea creeping up. He gulped down the rest of the glass, wandering back into the kitchen to sit down. Bubbles seemed to roil up in his gut.

“Are you alright?” Carlos sounded concerned, reaching towards him.

“I’m fine. Just give me a minute. It’ll go away.” Cecil winced as another wave of nausea hit him. “It’s just nausea, I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s always been like this. The doctor tried to switch medications, hoping it would lessen, but it didn’t help. I was actually worse, if you can believe it. Nausea doesn’t seem so bad compared to migraines and shaking uncontrollably.”

“Ah. I see. Do you have some aspirin? You sort of ran us here, and my leg isn’t the greatest. Getting shot does that to you.”

“When were you…oh. Right. I remember.”

“Yeah. Usually I keep a cane near, but I didn’t think of bringing it this time.” Carlos smiled, reaching for the glass of water offered to him with the pill. “I don’t like using it, but if I’m having a long day, it’s next to me.”

“Oooh. Hmm.” Cecil checked his phone, skimming over the text from his brother. “Well, Kevin is on his way. He said he’ll be here in a minute or two.”

His guest nodded, swallowing the painkiller. “Alright. I feel pretty guilty about ruining your vacation. Or sort of ruining it, anyway.” Carlos shrugged off his coat, exposing a white dress shirt, and he rolled up the sleeves, revealing his dark skin. Cecil bit into his lip, eyes glancing over at the revealed skin. Then there was a knock on the door, and suddenly Kevin was in the room, cheery as always.

“Cecil, I know we said we were leaving at… who is this? Is this who you were talking about? He’s handsome. What’s your name, mystery man?”

“Carlos, Kevin. This is Carlos. The Carlos,” Cecil stressed the name over and over, while a subtle grin worked over the detective’s lips.

“Wait, what? Story Carlos? That’s not…possible. And yet here we are. Huh. Well, now you have someone to date, huh?~” Kevin teased. He sat next to his brother, completely identical if not for the gloves he was now pulling off.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kevin.”

“Do you have siblings, too?”

“Um. Yes? Does that matter?”

“Not entirely. Mind explaining why exactly you’re here? I mean, it’s not every day that you meet a person you’ve created. Or really, I didn’t create you.”

Carlos stared at him. He wasn’t quite sure to make of Kevin. He was subtle about his flirtation. Cecil was far more reserved, far more relaxed than he appeared. Kevin seemed trustworthy, just like Cecil. “I need your help. Both of you. Do you have a laptop..? Just to video chat with my mother. It’ll be a weird connection, since it’s across universes, but I think it’ll work.”

“We can use mine,” Cecil offered. He then bit into his lip, unsure of whether Carlos would actually be comfortable around his flirtatious brother.

“My computer is already out, so we can use mine! It’s no trouble, really, anything to help a friend!” Kevin ambled over to the living room and pulled out the computer from beneath the table. “You guys have a video chatting service? I suppose I never really quite got into that aspect of world building, though I suppose since it is an alternate universe, or parallel, it makes sense that you would. There would only be subtle differences.”

“Yes. Technologically speaking, it’s on par with what you have here, though it took a very long time to convince people that they were not being watched through their televisions. Typical stuff. That was a joke, people didn’t mind them, it was just a little hard to understand when it all came to pass,” Carlos explained as he watched Kevin tap away at his keyboard.

“Interesting. You’ll have to tell me all about it after you’re done with your call. Here you are, it’s all yours! Please don’t look into my files.”

“I won’t. It’s your personal property, I’m not in a case about you, I won’t look into it.” Carlos was curious, but not enough to possibly get kicked from the apartment for snooping. It was his job to snoop around, but this invasion of privacy was against his code of ethics.

“Good. Um, is that the right program?”

“Yes. It’ll take a couple of tries, because her name won’t show up here. I don’t exist here, like you don’t exist over there.”

“Makes sense. Cecil, are you alright?”

“Hmm? I’m fine, really, I’m fine. Just thinking.”

Carlos grinned at the screen once it finally bent under his will. The image was hazy, growing sharper every second as they sat there. “Bibi. I found them.”

“Carlos! I wasn’t sure if the computer would actually be able to hang onto a connection, but it seems to be holding. Is this them? The brothers? Twins?”

“Yes. Cecil,” Carlos gestured at Cecil, “and Kevin. How are things?”

“Fine, just fine. We grew more mangoes, the snakes seem to have holed up in their place for now. I say for now, because after you left, they demanded to be let inside. You know they cannot come in without a warrant. And even then they are not the police. They cannot come in without permission even if they wanted to do so. Little victories. So, are you going to introduce me to them or do they get to stare at my pretty face without an explanation?”

“Oh, right. Cecil, Kevin, this is my mother. Bibi, mi madre.”

“Hello! It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Cecil and Kevin said at the same time. One of their rarer moments of speaking in sync with each other.

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you. Has Carlos explained everything?”

“Mostly, yes. To my brother, not really me. Mind filling me in?” Kevin answered before Carlos could reply, and he shrugged and backed away from the computer to allow the owner to be informed. He pulled Cecil aside.

“Do you mind coming with me? I know my mother’s place isn’t that big, but it’ll be safe. I’ll be there when I can, but I can’t guarantee I’ll be there all the time. They only fall for the switch of me and my brother for a while.”

“No, no, that’s fine. Is there a beach? I know it’s odd to ask, but that’s where Kevin and I were planning on doing until, well, this happened.”

“Yes, there is a beach. We don’t live too far from one, and there is another where you can pick up sea glass along the shore.”

“Well, do you have any other kids? Carlos is lovely, but I’m absolutely sure Cecil is head over heels for him already. Unattached ones?” Kevin smiled.

“Yes, he has a sister who isn’t married yet. His brother is married, they look just alike.”

“Kevin! Is asking about siblings really what is most important right now?!” Cecil was fuming at him! Of all the things! He understood this aspect of his brother. He would get an urge he couldn’t ignore, bubbling in his abdomen, right before a burst of productivity to ignore it. It was a cycle they went through every once in a while. Kevin would go out late, find a date and they would do what Kevin needed. To his credit, he didn’t do it every night like he did when they were younger. It was rare for that aspect of the mania to get that bad. All Cecil could do was make sure he was being safe, and, hopefully, wouldn’t get involved with anyone abusive. It had happened once or twice, but Cecil was always there to make sure it would stop.

“I was only curious. So! Where will we be staying? Hopefully we won’t be intruding.”

“Shh, nonsense! You can stay with us. Right, mijito?”

“Er, right. There are extra bedrooms.”

“Yes. Now that everyone has been caught up to speed, I’ll expect you home tonight. Or within the next day. I’m sure the boys have a lot of packing to do.”

“We don’t, actually,” Kevin replied, apologetic, “since we were going on vacation today. It’s just a change in the destination, and that’s perfectly alright with me.”

“Well. I’ll see you all tonight then. There will be rice on the stove. Te amo, mijito. Bye!” She disappeared off the screen, leaving a photograph of the moon that was Kevin’s background. Carlos leaned back against the counter, his brow furrowed. Getting both Cecil and Kevin over might prove to be a problem.

“Do you have your stuff?” Carlos asked, wanting to get that part sorted first.

“Yes. The suitcases are in the hall,” Kevin answered.

“Good. Cecil, are you ready?”

“I-I think so.” Cecil offered a smile, nodding.

“Alright. Let’s empty out the coffee pot and grinds, pour out the cups. And is everything else ready for you two to be leaving?”

“Yes,” the twins answered. Carlos nodded, dumping out the drink Cecil had so carefully made to his specifications, and cleaned the pot. Once the kitchen had been sufficiently cleaned up with no food left out to rot, the detective walked into the living room.

“This is the best place to do this, since no one would be able to see us. Hmmm.” Carlos waved his hand with a particular movement, too quick for the two to see. Then there was a void, just there, seemingly waiting to swallow them.

“Carlos, I don’t think I can do this,” Cecil said, the sound of fear creeping into his voice.

“You just have to trust me. Kevin will be next to you, and I will be on the other side of you. It’ll feel cold and tingly, and then very, very warm on the other side.” Carlos reached for his arm, not touching him until Cecil nodded his approval. Kevin placed a hand on his shoulder, both suitcases carefully between them. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

“Ready!”

Carlos stepped forward into the black, noticing Cecil’s grip on him was tight. He never got used to the cold tingle that followed entering this void. It only took a few seconds until they were warm, sunshine beating down on them. “Welcome to my home. Or, really, my mother’s home.” The ocean roared off in the distance. Cecil looked over at Carlos, blushing as he released him from his grip. Then he smiled, pleased with everything.

“Oh my! Carlos, this is wonderful! Are those mangoes? And cotton?” Kevin dropped his suitcase and ran to the mango tree, grinning.

“Yes, those are mangoes. We keep a small cotton crop just in case something catches my mother’s fancy. Let’s get inside to eat.” Kevin nodded, following his brother and the handsome detective into the house.

 

* * *

Dinner was finished, and Kevin and Cecil were in their rooms, while Carlos lay on his bed. A faint creak outside his door meant someone was up and about. He could see a shadow from his doorway. An even fainter click meant whomever it was had gone outside. Carlos looked over at the clock. It was two in the morning. He got up from his bed, wincing at the pain in his leg. Gently forcing himself to his room door, he hobbled down the hall to the front room. He could see someone outside, either Cecil or Kevin. The detective opened the door quietly, trying not to disturb the man. “Cecil?”

“Hmmm? Oh! I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have come up this late…”

“No, no, it’s fine! I was just wondering why you were out here.”

“Well, the nights I can’t sleep, I go outside. The city lights were soothing. This is absolutely gorgeous. No light pollution. I’ve never seen so many stars in one place. I guess I’m just worried. Scared, really.”

“I would be, too, if someone came to my work only to whisk me off to a different world,” Carlos murmured soothingly.

“It’s beautiful here. Thank you, for understanding. I appreciate it. I guess we should go back in.”

“Come on. Sit in the hamaca. Er. Hammock. You can see the stars until the dawn.”

Cecil smiled, settling into the oversized cloth. “Join me?”

“Sure.” Carlos carefully settled in next to him, making sure not to touch him unless he initiated it.

“You know, I always wanted to do this. Lay under the stars, watching the sky turn into dawn. Thank you, for this.”

“You’re welcome.” Carlos smiled, and then it grew wider as Cecil snuggled closer to him. They fell asleep under the stars.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like the fic? Want to discuss theories with me, or suggest new ideas? You can find me [at my blog.](silent-novae.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos takes Cecil and Kevin to the beach. They have a nice time until they head home. Insects don't make the best party crashers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was pretty enjoyable to write, and I hope you guys like it, too!

“Well, look at you two!” Kevin’s voice chimed as he leaned over the hammock. Cecil and Carlos were still cuddled up on the cloth, neither of them noticing the bright light of day until Kevin had spoken. Cecil groaned, swinging his legs off the hammock and rubbing his eyes.

“Why are you awake?”

“It’s almost 11, Cecil. You’re supposed to take your things in oh, thirty minutes or so?” Cecil launched himself off the hammock, running into the house.

“Do you always let him sleep in, or do you just like getting up early?” Carlos was genuinely curious.

“I have to get up early. It’s not that I enjoy it, I would prefer to sleep in, but I’m supposed to keep a schedule. Get up around 8 AM, shower, get dressed, and make breakfast. Your mother makes the most wonderful breakfast sandwiches! As I was saying, breakfast, then about ten minutes to relax, take the little white pills at 9 AM, hope I don’t get nauseous, and then do whatever I want the rest of the day. Repeat the cycle for around dinner time. Of course, I schedule a work out session during the evening. I’m at work until about 7 PM. The station is very understanding of my brother’s and my own needs. It’s not a bad thing, all things considered. It’s the scheduled visits that mess me up. Especially when I have to have an extra-long lunch to keep my sessions. A long and convoluted answer to a very simple question.”

“I don’t mind long answers. If I can make anything easier on either of you, let me know. Speaking of, I need to get breakfast. You didn’t eat all the sweet bread, did you?”

“Did Cecil tell you I had a sweet tooth? I do, but I don’t understand how that bread is supposed to be sweet.” Kevin followed Carlos inside the house. The kitchen was just to the side of the doorway.

“Yeah. Well, if you butter it, and toast it in a pan,” Carlos began his own explanation, showing Kevin the step by step of making the sweet bread even sweeter. In the meantime, he poured himself a cup of coffee after Kevin turned a cup down. “Here.” He handed over a piece to Kevin, waiting for his reaction.

“Oh! It melts in your mouth!”

“Yep. It’s one of my favorite things to eat, though I don’t usually eat it in the mornings. You think Cecil will like it?”

“Like what?” Cecil walked into the kitchen, hair only half-dry from the shower.

“Sweet bread! I know you don’t exactly have my sweet tooth, but it’s really good. Just try it?” Kevin cajoled. Reluctantly, his brother took the offered food. The yellow bread had the slightest tinge of umber. Cecil looked at it warily before taking a small bite. The melting sensation was amazing.

“Oh! Wow. I didn’t expect it to taste like that at all! It’s not overly sweet, but it kind of tastes like a cookie?”

“I’m glad you like it. Now, if you two don’t mind, I’m gonna have my coffee outside. You can join me, or get ready to go to the beach. I can wait either way.”

“I’ll be out in a minute. I need to get dressed,” Cecil answered. He finished off the bit of bread still in his hands as he walked back to his room. “Hmm.” The beach required swim trunks, which he pulled out the night before. They were black, so they wouldn’t draw too much attention, at least. Kevin’s were white. It was just easier that way. Dressing didn’t take long.

There was a tapping at the doorway. “Knock, knock. Cecil, are you okay?”

“Hey, Kevin. I’m okay. I’m just a little nauseated, and worried. What happens if we get caught in the crossfire? If one of us gets caught by Strex? I’m anxious…no, concerned.”

“We’ll be okay. We haven’t done anything wrong, Carlos hasn’t either. It’s just being here, in a world we thought was fiction, not truly knowing how things are going to go. I never thought I would meet Carlos here, or really any time. He was just a dream. A beautiful, vivid dream that slipped away into a story. To know he is real, and I’m not just dreaming, it’s….it’s as if I’m living my favorite fantasy.” Cecil shrugged, looking out the window a few seconds later, face set in happiness.

Kevin stepped towards his brother, an arm around his shoulder. Their identical faces, eyes, stared into each other. “We’ll be okay. Nothing is going to happen to us. Just relax and enjoy the ride, Cecil.” He let go of him, smiling. “Besides, Carlos is pretty cute. I know he’s basically your ideal. He has flaws. So do you. We all do. Believe me, if I could comfortable settle down with someone like Carlos, I would, but you know exactly what has happened when I tried. I know it’ll happen at some point, but I think I need to be okay with it. Right now, I’m not. You’re the only person I can settle with, in a non-romantic and non-sexual place. You’re the only one I can count on. I appreciate it.” Kevin motioned to the door. “Seriously though. Let’s go, we have an adventure to go on.”

Cecil nodded, picking up his bag. “Alright. I’m coming. Well, once you stop blocking my way.” Kevin laughed and walked out of the room first, turning to make sure his brother followed. Assured of Cecil’s pace, they walked outside. Carlos sat on the hammock, staring at the grounds leftover in his cup. His mother always told him how they could be read to determine the drinker’s future. He himself was unsure of how accurate those fortunes could be. Only once was Carlos’ own read, and the woman’s face went ashen, never answering his questions about what his fortune said. His mother was harsh, snapping at him to hush, ignore his questions, and seemed to have moved on from it.

“Hey,” Cecil said, jumping at Carlos’ surprised squeak.

“Sorry! I just didn’t expect to see you yet. Ready to go? Towels, sunscreen? There’s an amazing little food stand there. With water, of course. It’s important to stay hydrated while at the beach, you two. It’s this way.” Carlos placed the cup on the bannister of the porch, leading his guests towards the beach.

* * *

 

The sun was bright, brighter than Cecil and Kevin were used to. The yellow sand extended out, some tidal pools breaking up parts of the beach. Carlos carried an oversized umbrella, and once they reached a good spot, he dug it into the sand. The yellow striped cloth opened up easily enough, and they set up a large blanket to have a comfortable spot to relax once they came out of the water. Carlos pulled them towards the water. Cecil dug his toes into the sand, a hum from his throat, pleased with the feeling. It was soothing. Kevin, tilted his head back, enjoying the sunshine on his body. “Is the tide alright for us to actually swim?” Cecil asked, stepping closer to the ocean.

“Yes. We could camp out here, but we would have to be closer to the palm trees in that case. On a hamaca as well. It’s hard to camp out here because of the tide. We could tonight, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. Even me being out here is a bad idea, but I’m not going to leave you two here alone,” Carlos replied, walking further into the water. The waves splashed against his calves, noting the twins following after him.

“It’s cold!” They screeched at the same time.

“Well, yeah, but you’ll get used to it, I promise. It’s scientifically proven!”

“Oh really, Mr. Scientist?” Kevin asked, teasing him.

“Yes, really. Come on, let’s get to deeper water.” Carlos pushed past the waves breaking on his thighs. Soon enough he was chest high in the water, allowing himself to float, arms pushing him further up in the water. Cecil was swimming towards him, while Kevin took the lazier route of floating closer to them. Carlos laughed along with Cecil, splashing Kevin when he drifted nearer.

“Kevin, don’t be so lazy,” Cecil chided, splashing more water.

“Hey, I’m relaxing on my vacation.” Kevin pushed his legs down to keep himself afloat the way Cecil and Carlos were doing.  “It’s so hot.” He dunked himself below the water, floating back up and shaking his hair. The droplets hit his companions.

“Hey! Not fair, Kevin!” Cecil cried out as the water hit him. He dropped below the water surface, looking around. Silvery fish darted past him, then a few bright colored fish near the reef. Cecil returned to the surface. The water rippled around him, some sea foam bubbling up.

“Did you like what you saw? I noticed you angled towards the reef.” Carlos smiled. “And we need to get farther out, because there are some big waves coming soon.” He swam out father, getting halfway to buoys separating where the bigger boats could move. Kevin and Cecil followed him again. The three of them bobbed up with the larger waves, surprised at how big the breaking waves were near the shore. “You don’t want to get caught under where it breaks. It will push you down into the seafloor, and keep you there until the next one makes you stay. They’re strong. I almost drowned once when I was caught. My uncle had to drag me out of the water. I wasn’t afraid of the water after that particular experience, but I definitely began respecting the ocean more after it. Ten more minutes until we can head back to the beach. These waves come in intervals, but we’ll have to move closer to shore within a minute or two. Not where the waves break, but we’re about to have one break right over us. Come on.” They began the swim to the halfway point, noting the large wave foaming near they were floating.

“Well. That was a big one.” Cecil commented, watching the sea foam dissipating the closer it came to the trio. Once the larger waves stopped, they went to the shore, dragging themselves up the beach. “Is it normal to be this tired?” Cecil whined, flopping onto the blanket, beneath their umbrella.

“Yes.”

“Good. I’m okay with being this tired. Then I can get some sleep,” Kevin yawned. They stayed under the umbrella, enjoying each other’s company. When Carlos heard the soft buzzing noise, he was immediately on alert, getting up to scout their surroundings.

“Carlos, are you okay?”

“No, Cecil. I’m not. We have to go. Now. We need to leave right now, before I’m found.”

“Strex?” Kevin murmured softly, looking up at Carlos.

“Yes. Shit. One is right there.” The drone was slightly louder now that the man was closer.

“Hello, friend! It’s not good to go swimming in the middle of the day, didn’t you know? The Smiling God is always watching. Always,” he hissed at them, the black eyes staring at the brothers, ignoring Carlos. “You’re new here, aren’t you? You look like the locals, but you’re not from here. We can always tell. Always.” The man backed away, freezing up for a moment and then turning around to walk back to wherever he came from.

“Um. That was weird. I didn’t realize how odd their behavior was until that happened. Is…is that how they are all the time? This isn’t some yarn we’re telling… we’re getting impressions from this world, universe, whatever, and we made our own fiction around it. We don’t directly affect place. We only tell the impressions. That’s how it works, isn’t it?” Cecil asked, staring at Carlos.

“I don’t know. I think you two were meant to be here, but just were never born? Yúcahu. I’m not sure, exactly. If you were meant to be here, I’m sure the pointed ears would be the dead giveaway for this. Which you two have. I don’t, which makes me unusual, but I am meant to be here. It’s certainly a possibility. And it may explain why I was able to bring you both over so easily,” Carlos mused, looking out over the ocean. “I dreamed of you. I knew you would come eventually. Don’t ask me how, because I don’t know. It’s like those dreams where you know the person you’re seeing, but you haven’t seen them waking, or at least someone you didn’t realize you have seen. I know I haven’t set eyes on you until I was at the radio station, so seeing you in a dream was odd.”

“I knew what you looked like. We both did. When we were dreaming up a world, and the protagonist was you. Perfectly you. I’m happy to know that you are actually alive. Maybe not in my realm, but here. Definitely not safe, but alive,” Cecil replied, his voice quiet.

“Let’s go home. We can talk more there, or talk to bibi. She knows more than I do.” Kevin and Cecil stood up and began packing away everything, getting ready to go back to Carlos’ home. Carlos grunted in pain, wincing at the burning in his leg.

“Hey!” Kevin grabbed him before Carlos tumbled over. “Hey. I’ll take the umbrella, and Cecil will help you up to the house. If that’s alright?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Cecil took over, helping Carlos get stabilized. It took some time to get back to the house, Kevin dropping their stuff to run and get Carlos’ cane. Cecil helped Carlos to one of the chairs outside, sitting themselves down.

“I’m sorry if I stressed you out, Carlos,” Cecil muttered.

“No, no. It wasn’t you, it was that thing. It’s not human. None of the Strex Copies are. They’re terrifying. Kind of like wasps. They can’t sting you, obviously, but like I said, they aren’t wholly human. I just. Yeah. Oh. Thanks, Kevin. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” Kevin chirped as he handed over the carved wood. He sat back against the wall blocking the yard from the patio. “I guess we have to wait for your bibi, huh?”

“Yes. She’ll be home soon, I’m sure.” Carlos sighed, relaxing back into the chair. “I’m sorry for dragging you two into this. I just needed to know.”

“We understand.” Kevin was the one to pipe up, while Cecil looked over affectionately at his brother and Carlos. Clouds began growing on the horizon, the storm nearing the house. Soon enough, they were enveloped in a downpour.

“This happens a lot, huh?”

“I wonder if it’s a warning of some sort,” Kevin murmured, looking over at the clouds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, things will be heating up quite soon! I occasionally drop hints [my blog.](silent-novae.tumblr.com)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos wants to take Cecil and Kevin out to dinner. The beach was enjoyable, but dinner was on their mind. Until they ended up trapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a hard time writing this chapter, mostly because I don't like hurting characters. However, this time it was kind of necessary. Oh god, I sound like a terrible person for saying that. There is blood, violence. You know. How Strex does things.

Carlos’ bibi took her own sweet time in coming home. She was off visiting some of the other families, making sure they were properly protected from any harm. Any bohique would do the same. Kevin remained leaning back on the wall, while Cecil had fallen asleep against Carlos’ shoulder. Carlos did not move a muscle, not wanting to disturb Cecil. Kevin smiled affectionately at them. “He always does that when he’s tired.”

“Really? I didn’t think I wore you two out at the beach.” At Kevin’s leer, Carlos hastily amended his answer. “Not like that. I mean, I didn’t think swimming would take so much out of you. You both work out, don’t you?”

“You are correct. I work out more often. He comes to the gym with me three times a week, while I’m there five days a week. I’m not working out this vacation. Swimming is enough of that for me to last a good while. I may take a dip every morning.” Kevin tilted his head back, eyes closing to just listen to the rain.

“As a warning, there are sharks out here. Usually they don’t come too close to shore, but it’s pretty iffy at dawn, if I can be completely honest with you.” Carlos’ eyes widened as Carlos snuggled closer.

“He does that. Anyway. Thanks for the warning. I just want to know more about how Strex works. I know I talk about them in my show, but I didn’t think the clones, copies, whatever, were that terrifying to actually see. There’s no humanity left in them.”

“No, there isn’t. Which is why I prefer to avoid them at all costs. I’m surprised they didn’t send the usual guys,” Carlos sighed.

Cecil woke up, immediately pulling away from Carlos. “Sorry! I woke up when I heard Kevin say copies. They’re so weird. What Kevin said, that they don’t have any humanity. They don’t want it back, at all. It’s just…it’s not a necessity to them, is it?”

“No. Not really. I haven’t infiltrated into the main office quite yet. Soon, I hope. I’ll probably have to put make-up on the both of you from now on.”

“Why?” Kevin asked, before Cecil had the chance to.

“They saw you with me. Therefore, you’re an enemy. Strex will try to recruit you. If not today, then tomorrow. It’s not something we can avoid. I’m not averse to going out to eat tonight, but I’ll have to make myself look uneven. You know what I’m talking about, to avoid getting recognized. I don’t think either of you need to as well, but it couldn’t hurt.”

Cecil nodded, standing up from his seat. “Where do you recommend we go then?”

“Mmm, there’s a little place in the capital. Well, it’s not little, but it is delicious. Tostones to die for, and roast pig. Everything traditional that you can imagine, it’s there. The chef is an old family friend, so I’m sure you two will find it delicious enough to eat,” Carlos replied, carefully standing up. He leaned on the wall for a moment, gripping his cane in his left hand. With a deep sigh, he brought his right leg in out in time with the cane. He admitted that running from Strex with a leg like this was a bad idea, but he tended to ignore it. It helped he had a moped near his investigations. Getting into a car wasn’t always reliable.

“Is it a five star restaurant, or..?” Cecil trailed off. He had nice clothes, well, Kevin did, too. They didn’t particularly expect to use them, but it would be fine. A reason to get dressed up was always nice.

“It would be better to wear nice clothes. A little less than your radio station attire, though. Like, a loose linen shirt, an embroidered one? Never mind. Just wear your radio station attire because you don’t know what I’m talking about. Unless your dad wore it. Okay, I’ll just hush myself now. You’ll see when I get into my clothes. We all need showers, though. Um. I can just use my mother’s shower. You two can use mine. Which of you gets ready faster?”  
“Cecil,” Kevin answered, grinning at his brother. “I have a particular way of dressing. It’s a quirk.”

“Alright, Cecil, come on.” Cecil followed Carlos, fluttering behind him.

“What about your bibi?” Cecil asked.

“We can talk to her in the morning. Remember, she’s the bohique. It’s likely she’s spending the night over at the cacique home or at one of our neighbors.”

“What’s a cai- cacique?” The word felt strange on his tongue, a meld of a language long forgotten in his world.

“The, what’s the word? Chief? Yes, chief. Heading the village, making sure we’re all alright. Our current one is quite lovely, she’s very intelligent.”

“Women are allowed to be cacique? Usually, we have male leaders. I’m not sure why it became tradition, but it did.”

“Yes. They’re stronger leaders, I think. Polygamy is also practiced, but not as widely. It’s fallen out of favor in the last hundred years or so. We’re very open here. We have to be. It’s just the way it is. Everyone is family even if there is no direct relation.” Carlos smiled warmly, leading Cecil into his shower. “Just ignore the seat. I can’t always keep myself standing. If you feel like using it, go ahead.”

Cecil flushed, his hands flying up to wave quickly. “No, oh no! I can’t have you just take a shower in your bibi’s room! Just use this one, it’s okay.”

“Cecil. You and your brother are my guests. Undress and get in my shower. I swear to Yúcahu, if you don’t do it, I will stand right here until you are naked.” Carlos stood his ground, eyes challenging Cecil to defy him. Cecil was reluctant to start, but he pulled off his shirt.

“Do you mind?” He asked as he began to tug on his swim trunks. Carlos smiled and left him in the bathroom, waiting to hear the shower turn on. Once he heard the water, he left for his own shower. Cecil let out a groan of appreciation at the cooler water. Normally he would turn it to as hot as he could stand, but he was a guest. The hot water felt like an envelope, keeping him safe from the world. Up until he had to leave the shower stall. Carlos’ shampoo was scented of lavender and vanilla. He hoped Carlos wouldn’t mind. Washing out the salt of the ocean from his hair just felt so good. With a grin, he turned off the water to find a blue towel sitting on the sink. Cecil’s smile softened. Lifting the blue cloth to his hair, he pressed it down and rubbed, mostly drying out his hair. Once that was done, he wiped off his body, and wrapped the towel around his waist. The fabric was tucked into itself, and he stepped out of the room to find Kevin right outside the door.

“Carlos said he’ll be right out, and oh. He gave you a blue towel. That’s funny, he gave me a red one. Just like at home.”

“Yeah. I thought you told him.”

“No. I think he just…knew. Now get out of the way, I have a shower to take.” His tone was affectionate. Cecil knew he was just teasing, and moved to get out of his brother’s path. Switching places, Cecil walked to his room to get dressed. Kevin already placed their clothes on the bed, boxers included. He smiled. Cecil took his time dressing himself, the lavender cloth light on his skin. Dark slacks complimented the shirt, and he put the cufflinks he brought on. Looking over himself in the mirror, Cecil deemed himself appropriately dressed. His nice shoes were just outside of the doorway. He looked down at himself one last time, hoping he looked nice. Stepping out of the hallway, he almost bumped into Carlos.

“I’m sorry!” Carlos yelped. Cecil laughed.

“You’re fine. Oh. You look lovely,” he murmured, a faint blush on his cheeks. Carlos wore an embroidered linen shirt, black slacks. It was a pleasant contrast on his skin, overall quite beautiful.

“Thank you. You look quite nice, too. I think Kevin is done with his shower. We should get into the living room.” Cecil nodded, following him into the room, settling himself on the couch. Another fifteen minutes passed, neither of them saying much.

“Miss me?” Kevin laughed as he walked in. He was dressed in a light yellow shirt, but that was the only difference between the brothers. “Well, we all look very attractive. Good. To the car now?”

“Yes.” Cecil stood up, following his brother, Carlos not far behind. Carlos walked to the driver’s side door. “Um, who wants to take the passenger’s seat?”

“Cecil can. I’m not one to sit there unless Cecil is driving. No offense, Carlos.”

“None taken.” He unlocked the doors, settling himself into the seat while Cecil sat next to him, and Kevin behind Cecil. “It’s a thirty minute ride. Are you two okay with some music?”

“Music is fine. I’m sorry for not being very talkative. I’m a little worried about running into them again,” Cecil murmured. Kevin made a sound of agreement while leaning back against his seat.

“I understand.” Carlos switched on the radio, pulling out of the driveway into the street.

The drive was rather uneventful, the music only broken by the occasional gasp of delight from Cecil or Kevin. They seemed excited over different things, but occasionally their gasp matched with each other. Carlos pulled in carefully. Parallel parking was never something he enjoyed, but he managed well enough. He unlocked the doors, allowing Cecil and Kevin to get out first. Carlos took his time in getting out, while Cecil and Kevin watched him.  He needed to mark his face, first. Just a dark shade, in the shape of a frog. Simple enough, and it should work for an evening out. Carefully, he began to get out of the car.

“Hey, do you need any help..?” Cecil asked, unsure if Carlos would take the offer well.

“No, I’m fine. I appreciate it.” His steps were somewhat weary, but he managed. “I’m not as young as I used to be,” he joked as they walked into the restaurant.

“Woah. Oh, Carlos! This is amazing,” Cecil gasped, astonishment on his face. Kevin’s face mimicked Cecil’s. “And your friend is the chef, here?”

“Yes. Speaking of, I’ll have to ask the waiter to grab him. Let’s go take a seat.” The restaurant was buzzing with conversation, thankfully none of the droning of the wasps, as Kevin took to calling them. They were careful not to bump any tables, and settled near the bar. Cecil and Kevin wouldn’t be able to drink, it would make them drowsy to the point of nearly passing out. Once the waiter joined them, he wore a friendly smile.

“Welcome, can I start you with any drinks?”

“Do you have any non-alcoholic? Bottled water would be fine. Kevin?”

“I’ll have bottled water as well, thank you.”

“And you, sir?” Carlos was mulling over what he wanted to drink, but he figured it to be best to drink water as well.

“Water. Can you fetch the chef for me? Tell him it’s Lito.” The waiter nodded, whisking himself off into the crowd. Carlos turned back to the twins. “No alcohol, huh?”

“No. My medications already have a tendency to make me drowsy. I’ve mostly gotten over it, but occasionally it still hits me. Alcohol exacerbates it,” Kevin explained. “Cecil’s medications tend to do the same. It’s just how it is for us.”

“I see. It makes sense, no one wants to really be that impaired. Kevin, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Is Strex just a company, or is there a family behind it? I know of some family members being on the board or the CEO.”

“Well, the way I imagined them, they were a Mafioso family. The corporation named after them was a front, a good front with plenty of money, but they still managed to have an illegal empire with weapons trading and trafficking,” he answered, his voice soft. Kevin didn’t want anyone to overhear.

“I…That makes sense. And I’m Cecil’s imagination. Not actually imagination, you know what I mean.”

“Yes, you were part of my story, weaving into Kevin’s. The hero. At least, sort of a hero. You’re not perfect. You were never meant to be perfect. Perfection was Strex’s motto. The way they all needed to be. You’re not,” Cecil murmured.

“I appreciate you thinking that way. I never did want to be perfect.” Carlos smiled, and then looked over at the bar. Their waiter was fidgeting. The man looked up, realizing Carlos was staring at him. He strode over, looking around carefully. When he reached their table, he dropped down to whisper in Carlos’ ear. And then Cecil noticed Carlos’ eyes widening.

“Carlos, what’s going on?” Cecil whispered. The waiter pulled back, and apologized for not having their drinks, promising to return with them shortly.

“We have to get out, right now. The kitchen staff isn’t…well, you know. And some of the workers, too. It makes sense. They know I frequent this place. Just carefully get up, and go to the door,” Carlos answered, his voice muffled. Kevin and Cecil nodded, Kevin standing first, and exiting. No one seemed to notice him leaving.

“Carlos, go. Right now. I’ll be okay,” Cecil urged, a hand ghosting over the table to grab Carlos’ hand, squeezing lightly. Carlos nodded, carefully standing, supporting himself on the table, and hobbling out as fast as he could. Cecil sat alone at the table, noticing the buzzing growing louder. He took a deep breath. If he stood up now, he would be noticed. He probably was already noticed. Cecil came with two other men, and now sat alone.

He could take the chance to get out now. Failing that, he could mostly fight off a few people, if it came to that. He felt a slight tap on his shoulder, and his body stiffened. Cecil turned to find the waiter, looking absolutely concerned. “Sir, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave. This table is needed.”

“Of course, I understand.” Internally, he breathed a sigh of relief. This could be his out. It was his way out. The kid was taking a huge risk for him. Cecil stood, nodding to the waiter, and weaved through a few tables when someone grabbed his arm.

“Hello friend. Where are you going?” The woman’s nails dug into his arm, tearing through the thin cloth, drawing blood.

“The waiter kicked me out. I couldn’t afford to pay,” Cecil rambled, coming up with a bullshit story. God, she could easily twist his arm back, putting him into a submission. Her nails continued cutting into him, and he wanted to yelp in pain so badly.

“Oh dear, you know, I know you’re lying. You are such a lovely looking fellow.” Her grip tightened, drawing her nails up.

Cecil wanted to scream, but he could only let out a faint whine. It was cutting into the fat in his arm. “I’m not lying. I don’t have any money on me,” he yelped. Her eyes glittered in the soft light, tan skin appearing to fade with each second.

“I know who you are, friend. You, and your brother. You two look like you could use a little, oh, redirection? Joining the Smiling God. I know Strex would be happy to have you. You and your brother, oh, twins are so gorgeous. They’re rare here, did you know that? They say it’s an omen.” The woman’s smile widened, while yanking her hand, pulling off chunks of his skin.

This time, Cecil cried out, yelling for his brother. He could feel the saline pricks in his eyes, and it burned, his arm felt like it was on fire. Suddenly, her hand was no longer on him, and he could see Kevin exchanging blows with her.

“CECIL, GET OUT OF HERE NOW!” Kevin yelled, while Cecil was there dazed. It finally clicked in his mind to run out. Carlos was outside of the car, worried and even more so when he saw the drenched shirt.

“What happened?!”

“Strex. We can’t leave Kevin, okay?” Glass shattered as people swarmed the entrance. He could see the faintest bit of yellow, but it was quickly turning red. Cecil knew the adrenaline was kicking in, he couldn’t feel the pain anymore. Diving into the mass of bodies, he found Kevin, bruises welling up on his face, a few cuts on his face. Cecil tugged his brother out of the swarm, getting him into the car, pushing himself into the backseat next to him.

Carlos pulled out of the spot, noticing mass no longer moving. “I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have…”

“You didn’t know,” Kevin replied, his breathing heavy.

“None of us did,” Cecil added, wincing and whining at the pain he was feeling. “Her nails were like knives. What the hell.” He avoided looking at his arm, he didn’t want to scream and cause Carlos to swerve the car, possibly causing an accident.

“I am so sorry.”

“Stop apologizing, okay? None of us knew. Cecil and I knew what we were getting ourselves into, alright? Don’t apologize.” Kevin flexed his hand. He usually wore his gloves, but he forgotten to get them tonight. Suddenly, he was gripping his hips tightly, clawing into the fabric. He could feel himself growing more and more flustered. Kevin rocked himself, stopping only when Cecil’s head was on his shoulder. The rest of the drive was quiet. Carlos opened the door for Cecil, helping him out. He winced at the bloodstained shirt.

“Thank you, Carlos. I might need some help getting this off.” Cecil grimaced, hurrying into the house. Kevin followed close-by, and Carlos eventually did as well. Carlos noted they were not in the living room, nor their bedroom. He could hear Cecil whimpering, and a quick yelp broke the silence. He made his way to the bathroom, Cecil and Kevin both shirtless. Cecil had his arm on the counter, the blood muted by the flickering yellow light.

“Should I get a wrap? A salve with it?” Carlos felt desperate to help.

“I’m not sure a salve would be a good idea right now, Carlos. We’ll wrap his arm, and take stock of the damage in the morning,” Kevin answered, a strained smile on his lips. Carlos walked into his bedroom to grab a wrap, mumbling something under his breath until the cloth glowed a faint sea-green. Once the glow faded, he returned to the bathroom, handing over the wrap to Kevin.

“Here.” Cecil looked up at Carlos, smiling at him. The faint smile disappeared once Kevin began wrapping the arm. Carlos stayed in the doorway until Kevin finished. “Cecil, it might be better if you stayed on the hamaca.”

“Alright.” Cecil stood, looking over at the ripped and bloodstained shirt. “That was my favorite shirt, too.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay! It doesn’t help to dwell, you know,” Cecil chastised, pushing on Carlos’ chest with his better arm. “You should take a look at Kevin, he has some bruises on his torso.”

“Kevin. Let me see.”

“Fine.” He moved to stand nearer to the light. “Happy?” They were purple, some green and yellow mottling the skin.

“How do your ribs feel? Any pain?”

“No, actually. May I go to bed now?”

“Yeah, sorry.” Carlos let him go, returning to his own room. To think, just last night he was cuddling with Cecil on the hammock, and now he was banished to his bedroom. He hoped this wouldn’t end up being a bad choice. Cecil would be fine, it would just be overnight for the scar tissue to form. It’s what he did each time he was hurt. Carlos wasn’t as careful with his own wounds. Cecil’s would heal overnight. He sat on his bed. Sleep would not come easy tonight. Not that it ever was easy to sleep, but this was one of those times that it was going to be harder. He heard a faint knock on his doorframe.

“Carlos?” It was Cecil in the doorway.

“Cecil, go back to bed. Not to sound like a parent or anything, but you need your rest.”

“You know how nice it feels to sleep next to someone? Will you sleep next to me tonight?”

“After today, I’m surprised you would want to.”

“Get your butt to the hammock or else.”

“Or else what? I’m coming, I’m coming.” Carlos stood up, carefully getting himself to the doorway. He followed Cecil to the hammock, and settled next to him. “Be careful with your arm.”

“I am.” Cecil draped his uninjured arm across Carlos’ chest. “Thank you, Carlos.”

“You’re welcome.” He noticed Cecil nodded off before him. Sleep was a struggle, but having Cecil next to him made it easy.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos invites Cecil and Kevin to a ceremony. Carlos also gets lectured by his mother on the importance of being truthful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I had some less than savory stuff happen, and it took away any desire to write. Rolitas are common ground doves. They are really annoying, but kind of cute, when they're not in your house.

Waking up was a slow process. Cecil would stretch himself like a cat, letting out a soft purr as he did so. Carlos, on his part was up already, watching as the leaves shake in the breeze. There was a soft ‘tic-tic’ in the background, and he groaned. Damn birds. A coo added to the ambient sound, then more ticking. Rolitas were not his favorite birds, but they were kind of cute. Chubby balls of fluff on the thinnest of legs. There was a reason they were nicknamed rolitas. Carlos gently shook Cecil to wake him up, putting a finger on his lips.

Cecil stared at him, confused until he heard the soft noises of movement. He looked at the tiled floor of the porch. Balls of feather were walking around beneath them. Cecil smiled, reaching down with his injured arm, grinning as the bird walked into his hand. It ruffled its wings and then hopped off in search of food. “Carlos, they’re so cute!”  
“They’re more annoying than cute, but yeah, I guess the fluffballs are kind of cute. Common ground doves, but we call them rolitas, since they’re chubby. Mind letting me look at your arm?” He reached for Cecil’s arm, taking it gently into his grasp. The wraps were absolutely stained with blood.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Cecil murmured. Cecil watched as Carlos carefully unwrapped his arm. The skin was absolutely pristine, as if nothing happened at all. “Carlos. What did you do?”

“What I had to. I preferred to do it in secret. I wanted to apologize for last night.” He looked down at the birds gathered around his feet. “I’m not expecting you to thank me. I’m surprised you didn’t punch me for doing that. I wish Kevin let me do it to him, too. Then you both would be fine. They don’t help if the wounds are too deep, such as a gunshot wound, or the cut it to the bone. Well, generally on the latter. If it’s on your hand, and you cut to the bone, it’s fine. It would be better to get it looked at in that case. I didn’t feel comfortable running to the ER in the middle of the night after what happened.”

Cecil stared at him, brown eyes softening with affection. “I forgive you. I understand why you did it. We should get Kevin. I’m pretty sure he’s worried.” He was careful to avoid the birds when he stood up off the hammock. They scattered below him, and ran into the house. “Does that happen often?”

“More than you would believe,” Carlos sighed. He followed Cecil into the house, finding Kevin sitting on the couch.

“Good morning. Cecil, how is your arm? I trust Carlos didn’t do anything too horrible to it.”

Cecil flopped down next to his brother, proudly extending his arm to show his brother. “Nope! All healed.”

Kevin immediately looked up at Carlos, eyes narrowing. “You just couldn’t let it heal on its own, could you?”

“No. I couldn’t have, because I didn’t want to risk it.”

“Fair enough.” Kevin relaxed, his hand running over the skin of Cecil’s arm. “So, if you can heal this, can you heal this?” He motioned to his head, tapping it lightly with a finger.

“I can’t. No one can. It’s one of those things that isn’t messed with.”

“Hey, don’t worry! I’m just teasing you,” he chuckled as he tugged his gloves off.

“It’s not really spoken of here. There is still a lot of stigma surrounding it, and I wish there wasn’t. We’re still working on it, you know? Is that why you wear the gloves..?”

“Yes. It makes me feel safe. Going without last night messed me up.” He looked up at Carlos, his eyes softening from the steel they were just minutes ago. Kevin ran a hand through his hair. “Well. Breakfast is in order.”

Carlos was about to answer when his mother walked through the door, holding the stained wraps. “Is anyone going to explain this?” Carlos shrank immediately. His bibi could be nice, but then again when he did something wrong, she could be absolutely terrifying.

“We went out last night to eat. I thought we could eat out in the restaurant, but there were wasps. They got to us, specifically Cecil. I didn’t mean for him to get hurt…” he trailed off.

“Don’t worry. I’m all healed up! Kevin needs to be on bed rest for a little while, I think. His ribs are probably bruised,” Cecil piped up.

She looked at the trio, her expression still set in annoyance, but worried. “Carlos. Did you use magic?”

“Sí. I did it for his benefit though. You always told me to do it not for my own benefit, but to help others.”

His mother nodded knowingly, glancing over at Kevin and Cecil. She seemed honed in on their ears, noting their pointed appearance. “Have you two always had pointed ears?”

“Yes. Why?” Cecil was confused at the sudden change of tone, and thrown off by the question. It didn’t seem relevant to their current situation. The woman shook her head before disappearing into her own room. “What was that about?”

“I have no idea. I’m wondering if we should plan against Strex right now, or give all of us a day to relax without worrying too much. You two need to learn some of the glyphs so you can’t be recognized by the cameras. You shouldn’t be anyway, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” Carlos pulled out a sheet of paper, various petroglyphs spilled across the page. “This is a coqui. You hear them every night, singing us to sleep.” He continued naming off the various images, making sure to relate them to what was around them for easy memory.

Cecil and Kevin took turns in reciting the various animals and gods, soon knowing them by heart. Both were pleased at their own ability to retain such information. Carlos brought them scrambled eggs with tomato and spinach mixed in, and cups of coffee. There were diced potatoes on the side, and some toasted sweet bread. They took a break to eat, but didn’t return to memorizing glyphs. There was some preparation for the ceremony that night.

“I will be right back.” Carlos stood up, taking their plates to the sink, rinsing them quickly. He would clean them properly later. Carlos stepped around a lizard, and walked to his mom’s room. His hand rapped lightly upon the door, when the faint assurance to come in met his ears. Carefully stepping in, he looked for his mother.

“He’s the man in your dream, isn’t he?” Carlos’ mother piped up from his side, making Carlos jump. “He is, isn’t he? You wouldn’t tell me anyway, but you know, I’m not surprised. Don’t lie to me. It’s not nice to lie.”

“Yes.” He didn’t say anything else, because there wasn’t much else to say. He couldn’t lie, he couldn’t walk out without an answer.

“You both need to be careful, especially tonight, understand?”

“Yes, mama, I will.” Carlos leaned over to give her a hug, kissing both cheeks. Taking steps away from her, Carlos walked back into the living room.

“Carlos! Can we participate tonight? Or at least help?” Kevin asked as Cecil looked on with an encouraging smile.

“Of course. I don’t think you two could participate fully, seeing as this will be your first time. We should get ready to set up, though. Well. You two can. I’ll supervise,” Carlos joked, picking up his cane. “I’ll be sure to fire one of you if you’re not following directions!”

The twins laughed. “You’ll probably have to fire Kevin, he doesn’t like listening to directions!”

“Hey!  Not true. I listen to directions to a T, and then I add shortcuts.”

Carlos smiled, waving them over to follow him outside. The sky was still blue, no clouds in sight. He yanked out a few logs of wood from the side of the porch. “This needs to be stacked in the middle of the square.” He looked around for a few of the streamers of twisted red and gold ribbon. “These go up on my mother’s home only. Everyone else has blue and silver, and they’ll set it up themselves.”

“Is there any particular way that this needs to be draped?” Cecil asked, a hand smoothing over the velvet ribbon.

“Not really, no. It’s nicer if it has pieces that are less coiled. I’m not sure if that makes any sense. I’ll let you know what I mean.” Carlos smiled, watching as Cecil stretched himself to place the ribbon at a starting point. Kevin tacked it in place. Watching the twins work together to finish decorating was interesting, especially as they bickered over placement. He chuckled, picking up the paint sitting on the patio railing. The white pillars on the house made the sea foam colored paint stand out particularly well. He could’ve had Cecil paint, but this was always his favorite part of setting up the square for a ceremony. While he taught Cecil and Kevin the various glyphs, he still enjoyed doing this himself. A thin brush dipped into the can, thinner painted animals and depictions of the gods. Carlos smiled as he worked, humming.  
Cecil watched Carlos work, a fond look on his face.

“Cecil, you look like a lovelorn puppy,” Kevin murmured, looking almost amused.

“Shut up.” It wasn’t as graceful as his usual retorts, but it worked all the same. They had a long afternoon of preparations ahead of them.

* * *

 

  
When night fell, Kevin was in the hallway, his facial markings complete. The ones on his arms needed to dry, but they were slow to lose the moist feel. He walked back and forth, from the living room to the bathroom where Cecil and Carlos were inside.  
Cecil was giggling at the feeling of paint on his skin. Carlos, for his part, gently stroked Cecil’s cheek with the paintbrush. The white of the paint stood out against russet skin, and the effect was absolutely gorgeous in Carlos’ eyes. Facial paint completely finished, Carlos moved to Cecil’s arms, giving one side the traditional bands. Just below them, he marked him with protective glyphs, just as he had with Kevin. The other side was dotted in pattern of some of what he taught earlier. He lifted Cecil’s wrist, painting an anatomically correct heart. His lips puckered as he blew air across the skin.

Cecil watched, absolutely fascinated with the process. It seemed the paint changed colors depending on how he felt in the moment. The marks were a light shade of pink at the moment, barely discernible. He knew Carlos could see it, but the man didn’t say anything. Carlos’ features were gorgeous, accentuated by the markings. They seemed just as pink as his own. Or maybe it was his imagination running wild, but he couldn’t be too sure in this universe. “Carlos?”

“Hmm?” Carlos looked up at him.

“Does…does this stuff change colors?”

“Sometimes. It depends on how in-tune you are with the gods. Mine always does. Kevin’s probably will. I’ve noticed yours is. Pink, huh?”

The smile on Carlos’ face made Cecil’s heart melt. “Yours is pink, too.”

He looked down at his arms, shaking his head. “So it is. Don’t worry, it’ll fade shortly. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it’s still something kind of personal.” Carlos finished up his work, standing up from his seat in the tub. A faint knock on the door distracted them.

“Are you two ready yet? I’ve been waiting out here for aaaages.”

“Just a minute, Kevin! We’re almost done.” Cecil stood as well, helping Carlos from the tub. It felt odd to be shirtless, especially in front of Carlos. It couldn’t be helped, seeing as they were all shirtless. Thankfully not entirely naked, Cecil wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle that. His gut felt like it was twisting over and over. He opened the bathroom door, stepping out. His brother smiled.

“Finally! Carlos, do we have to stand in a particular place, or are we introducing ourselves?”

“You’ll have to introduce yourselves before standing next to me. Cecil on my right, you next to Cecil. I have to stand next to my mother. You will exit the house and walk in front of bibi. Bow and then introduce yourselves. You two will be fine.” Carlos smiled at both of them, ushering them out of the hallway.

Outside, the fire crackled, small snaps echoing into the night. Cecil and Kevin each took a deep breath as they walked outside, the warmth enveloping them in an embrace.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to send in suggestions, I am always receptive to them!
> 
> Want to talk? Feel like screaming about Night Vale with me? Find me at my [blog.](http://www.silent-novae.tumblr.com)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cecil and Kevin learn a little more about the culture they've been introduced to by Carlos. They stay home to lay low for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lost my muse for a little while, but doing some more research into the Taino, and my island's history has really picked it back up.

The days had been quiet. The frogs sang them to sleep each night, and each day, Carlos taught him and Kevin more about their history and culture. About the terrible justifications used to allow brutality upon the natives by the colonizers. The way he spat out the world told Cecil all he needed to know about how he felt about it. When Cecil explained the difference between the parallel histories between them, stating the senseless mass murder that had occurred. Carlos wrinkled his nose upon hearing the differences. He knew that not everything would be the same, of course. There wasn’t such a thing as magic within their universe.

“Hey, Carlos? What’s with the buried rocks? The ones with faces on them.” Kevin piped up as soon as they were out in the square. Kevin had never really paid attention to them, not really. There were faces on them, but there was evidence of more carving beneath the surface.

“Oh? Um. How do I explain this…You know how every religion has a sort of underworld? This is like that. On the other side of the rock is a carved face, but facing in the opposite direction, upside-down. It’s a religious thing. Here the spirit world is a mirror of this world. It is said the caves are where the spirits live. Does that make sense?” Carlos hoped the explanation was clear enough.

“Kind of. I guess there isn’t a concept of hell?”

“Mmm.” Carlos didn’t answer, only waved Cecil and him over to a wall with glyphs upon it. “This is our god, and goddess.”

“Carlos? Why is that woman…?” Cecil trailed off, a soft blush on his cheeks.

“Oh. Let’s just move on then.” Carlos pointed out a few other things, and explaining the words that other languages had borrowed from their own. A wind began to shake the leaves above them, a salty scent wafting through. Cecil smiled to himself, feeling much more comfortable in his skin. Kevin always seemed more comfortable in unusual situations, this being a major change.

“Let’s go to the beach!” Cecil blurted out, surprised at his own voice.

“We could do that. It’ll give you guys a break from all of this. And then perhaps we can go further in town… and not eat there.” Carlos winced at the memory of Cecil bleeding in his car. He didn’t want to pull them into his problems, but there was always the problem that they were involved. They initially believed that this was a dream they shared, a world that didn’t exist. Instead, it was reality, and they were only narrating whatever vibe passed through to them. Little waves of energy to burst into creativity. Twining them closer and closer, and yet none of them knew.

* * *

 

With the coming tide, Cecil simply looked into the pristine blue waters. The way the waves crashed into shore, causing white sand to go silver in the water. Carlos and Kevin were already in the water, swimming about. He just couldn’t bring himself to step in quite yet, continuing to stare in the water. The tides were changing, and it wasn’t just the water. His life, Kevin’s life…they would remained changed by this forever. For a moment, he could have sworn he saw a flicker of himself and Carlos…but as soon as it came, it disappeared.

“Cecil, get in here!” Kevin called, waving him into the water.

“Yeah, just a second!” Cecil took one last look at the place the image was, but nothing. There was only the glitter of the sunlight being reflected off the sea water. With a sigh, he waded into the water, immediately being knocked into wave by wave. He rushed to the area Carlos and Kevin were offshore. With a good-natured splash at his twin, he dived below the surface, relishing in the clarity he felt under the weight of moving water. A few fish darted about him, and if he wasn’t holding his breath, he would have smiled. This helped remove the burden of dealing with Strex, the doubles, and the meetings with the villagers.

He didn’t mind meeting new people, but it was still so overwhelming. Kevin interacted better with them. He was always so bright and cheerful, which helped. Cecil returned to the surface for air, noticing the looks Carlos and his brother gave him.

“You alright, Cecil?” Carlos sounded concerned.

“Yeah, I’m fine! I just like being underwater,” he replied sheepishly. He could feel himself turning red. Kevin splashed water at him.

“I’m gonna go swim a lap. I need to clear my head. I’ll be back soon.” Kevin swam away after the words left his mouth, leaving Carlos and Cecil looking at each other. Soon enough they both burst into laughter.

“I’ll join you down there, if you don’t mind,” Carlos offered.

“Yeah, that would be great.” Cecil smiled, taking several short breaths before a large one, returning to his original spot. Carlos joined him. It was nice, having the sound drained out from his ears, and just seeing the crystal blue water spreading for miles around them. He swam over to Carlos, nestling against him as a huge wall of water rippled above them. Eventually they would return to the surface for air, though Cecil didn’t particularly like it. The water felt safe, no matter all the dangers of the deep.

“We should head back to shore. Looks like Kevin’s waiting for us there.” Carlos began swimming, and Cecil followed closely, noting the clouds building on the horizon. It would hit them shortly. Storms built quickly, but wouldn’t dissipate until the late darkness of night shrouded everything in shadows. Still, it was nice to fall asleep to rainfall, especially the warm kind.

Trudging out of the water seemed to take forever, the water lapping at his ankles seemingly pleading for him to stay. And Cecil would, given the chance. He was a creature of land, and he knew it quite well. “Maybe I should ask Carlos if there are things like mermaids here,” he murmured to himself once he was free of the water. The sand clung to all of their legs and bodies. Kevin wrinkled his nose, muttering about showers and the drains.

“Don’t worry about that. We have an outdoor shower to rinse this stuff off before we take an actual lathered up shower,” Carlos stated with a smile. With the heat and sand, it was better to have showers outdoors in case of situations like these. Not to mention a quick way to cool off. They jogged up to the front steps, laughter ringing.

            

* * *

 

Carlos was in the kitchen cooking while Cecil and Kevin were on the porch. Kevin sat on the steps, Cecil taking over the hammock. It was only just starting to get dark, stars coming out one by one. Any familiar constellations were fuzzy with the sheer number of twinkling lights. It was hard to believe that in the dark, this was what showed through the velvet sky. Every little pinprick was unique.

“Cecil?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you ever think that we would be like this? Finding a place that really did feel like home?”

Cecil thought it over. They had a home, of course, and when their parents were alive, it felt like home. But this place felt more than that. Like coming back home after a very long trip. “Honestly, no. Not the way this feels here. Kind of hard to imagine being without it now. It feels like we have our parents back. Which is silly, but in a way…it’s true. We’re from here. Maybe not in the proverbial sense… This is a mirror of our world. Obviously our parents don’t exist here, just like how we didn’t really exist until we came here. Carlos was a thought to us, a dream. Nothing more than that, and yet he is a person, alive.” Cecil paused, continuing to think. “Kevin, this is home.”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” Kevin murmured, returning his gaze to the horizon.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carlos brings Kevin and Cecil into his personal home. He's building his current case against Strex, but something is about to go wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I actually got a chapter out! It's very short, because my aunt just passed away. Hence me not posting anything recently. I also just got back from Puerto Rico for her funeral.

The forest was damp and cool comparative to the area just outside. Bamboo leaned over the trio, keeping them cool. The cacao trees hung low with fruit. “These aren’t ripe yet,” Carlos murmured, studying the green pods. 

“Don’t you have some at home?” Cecil asked, still looking around the forest with awe. On the list of things he knew he would never see, this would top the list. The place was practically pristine. No outside noise, just the soft calls of the birds. Once night would fall, the frogs would start singing to them. 

“I do. I eat a lot of them, though, so whenever I come here, I look for ripe fruit.” Carlos tugged on a yellow fruit he spotted through the green ones. “I just wanted to show you guys this place. My family owns the land, but still. There’s a little house over there that my father left me. No one really knows about it, which is actually really good. My office is in there. I have a room there, too. I just prefer staying at my mom’s. She’s not exactly young, you know? Plus, the steepness would probably throw her off kilter.” 

“Makes sense. Hey, what are these?” Kevin pointed at small green berries with streaks of red. 

“Coffee. Don’t ask me how to make it, because I have no idea,” Carlos laughed, waving them over to his little house. “Shoes off.” 

“Alright, tough guy,” Cecil teased as he kicked off his shoes. Carlos unlocked the door, flipping on the light switch. It was small, not at all roomy, but it appeared comfortable. Carlos began preparing coffee immediately. It was something neither Kevin nor Cecil quite understood. Every couple of hours, Carlos’ mom or Carlos would fix a pot of coffee on the stove. It was part of the culture, but neither could have that much caffeine. 

“Carlos, we can’t have that much coffee,” Kevin said. 

“I know. This is for me. I’m making cocoa for you.” 

“Oh.” Another thing the twins weren’t familiar with. Their parents had done it, too, but it wasn’t ever explained. They just accepted it as part of their lives. 

“Have a seat, and I can show you guys the case I’ve been working on.” Carlos left the stove to pick up stacks of papers, dropping them on the table. “You don’t have to read all of them, but it’s almost like Strex is doing a neo-colonialism thing. Like, bring in all sorts of “good” stuff, and then get the people dependent on it. Kind of how the British with the Opium Wars.”

“Wait, that happened here, too?” 

“Yes. I know our worlds are mirrors and different, but that still happened. The only difference is that, according to you, colonization won. That the once major groups are now minorities, and racial tensions are high. Not to say it doesn’t exist here. It does. I’m not going to go into it, since it would probably a week’s worth of history lessons. We have a lot to do before the court case that I’m currently working on.” 

“You’re not… You’re not having Kevin and me for witnesses, are you?” Cecil grew worried. The earlier attack would be so much worse if that were to happen again…especially if he were to testify. Kevin began to shift uneasily in his seat. 

“No, no. Sorry, I thought you two might help me get the case together… I totally understand if you don’t!” Carlos yelped, realizing what he had implied. He refused to put them in just as much danger as last time. And the last time, they were only out for dinner. 

“Oh, okay. I was uncomfortable with the idea of us taking the stand.” 

“You wouldn’t be able to, anyway. Even if I wanted you to, which I don’t. I can’t just bring new witnesses without clearing it with the other man helping my case. Speaking of which, I haven’t heard from Samuel in a while…” Carlos trailed off, a frown appearing. He wanted to pick up the phone and call him, but that would be rude. He sent a quick text instead, fearing for the worst. 

“How did you and Samuel meet?” Cecil asked, immediately going into reporter mode. 

“It was just after college. He and I had a mutual interest in discovery. He wasn’t particularly into science. I took up PI work after some of my neighbors weren’t happy with my science.” He frowned. “I hope they didn’t get to him…”   
A soft chime of Carlos’ cell phone would soon have the answer. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short filler chapter, since I finally got the motivation to write.

Carlos was shaking. “We have him.” Those three words were a threat, and it didn’t take much for Strex to make good on their threats. Cecil gave him a mournful look, wondering if he could do anything to help.

“Carlos?” Cecil’s voice was quiet, tentative in its question.

“He’s gone. I…I can’t do anything.” He hissed quietly, slamming his hand on his desk, the thump causing Kevin to jump. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging on the curled locks with worry. It was hard for him. First getting the twins hurt, now Samuel…how could he even protect his family at this point? Or maybe they were lying. He picked up his phone, scrolling through until he found the alternate number. “Maybe he’s not gone….” Carlos dialed the number, excusing himself to his room.

“Kevin, you want to go outside and explore some more? Wait. Have you taken your meds today?” Cecil had been taking his, but he had no idea if Kevin had been.

“Yes, I have.” His answer was curt, but it didn’t convince his brother. Kevin had been taking his medication. It was the only thing that kept the blood and entrails at bay, the desire he had to pull and yank on the bloody flesh. He rubbed at his hand, focusing on the feel and sound of the leather running against each other.

“I’m not inclined to believe you.”

“I did. If I hadn’t, you know I would be feeling sick!” Kevin snapped back. The quetiapine had such a short half-life in the bloodstream. “Sorry. You know how much I hate that question.”

“I know.” Cecil sighed, glancing at the door Carlos had walked through. He needed fresh air. “I’m going out. I won’t be far, I just need some air. Let him know if he comes out?”

“Yeah, of course.” Kevin smiled, waving his brother off.

* * *

 

Cecil’s breathing was slow. The forest was chattering around him, birds giving soft calls, and an occasional peep of “Coqui!” He smiled as he sat down, focusing on the words being whispered to him. They were light, telling him of the past, whispering how he was home now, this was always going to be home. It felt nice. Carlos’ mother told him he might hear the spirits talk to him, and not to ignore them if they did. It was an honor to have them speak to you outside of ceremonies. The words they spoke were accented, a mash of Spanish, Taino and English. It made him feel loved, warm and almost gooey.

“This was your destiny, you know,” they sang softly, a chorus of cheerful voices. A light rain began to fall, and Cecil could feel everything begin to shift.


End file.
